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Incubators are tricky. It sounds like you are on the right track. Too hot is as bad as too cold. Having just the heat coil might be best, especially in the summer.
Too humid is the same thing. Does the aquarium heater add to the humidity? Another reason to not use it. Usually the eggs can be kept moist enough because they are in damp peat moss in a closed box.
Use a "rubber maid" type box that does not totally seal. If it seals the eggs could run out of air. I think I posted a picture of an egg box in the Caitrin and Earl thread. My friend has been raising reptiles for years using that kind of box and peat moss.
I switch names when my brain insists on a switch. Pete was supposed to be Mike. Daniel was supposed to be David. I have a Mike and a David now. Names need to feel right.
Two carrot tails sounds like a good idea. You might be able to switch the pairs later. I don't think they bond the way some animals do. You will have to see how they are responding first.
You should have some lovely babies. You have some good genetics in the parents.
You can have two females with a Leopard Gecko male so you could keep a daughter from each breeding to place with the other male. That might be interesting. There are lots of possibilities.
I do know that you are going to have fun.
Catherine
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The aquarium heater doesn't add humidity it's just a glass tube with a heater inside. I moved some stuff around so that the lid is open more. I turned the heater up to the middle because when I turned it down the temp dropped too low. I have to turn it down some but I'm only degrees away from my mark. I need to get it around. It's around 90 now. Which isn't bad but I'm trying for females so it has to be a lower temperature. at 90 I could get males.
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Ah the fun of feeding lizards. Variety is a good thing. It is healthier and it keeps life interesting for the lizards.
Always keep your mealworms in a food mixture with a bit of carrot or apple peel for moisture and you will have them breeding in no time.
The super mealworms do not change to often. They seem to stay in the meal worm phase if you keep them in a group. What out for the beetles though. They bite and can seriously harm a lizard. I make sure they are all eaten. I never just leave them in a dish. My skinks love the wax worms. Some of my lizards eat the frozen blood worms(I defrost them first). I don't know if Leopard Geckos like them.
My beardie eats pinkies and so do my skinks. With the variety you can get your lizards are going to do very well and be very happy.
It takes awhile to get an incubator set up. It sounds like you are close. I am sure if you keep making adjustments you will get things to settle into the right range. Keep me posted.
Catherine
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I've got the beetles in a shoe box with oats and some baby carrots. they seem to be happy from what I can tell.
as far as the incubator. I'm going to have to step back and punt so to speak. I'm emptying out the coconut and I'm going to put one of the extra mats in. My thought process is to get it so the coil is not touching the plastic of the cooler. I don't want it to melt. if this doesn't work then I don't know what I'm going to do. maybe try a 5 gallon or 10 gallon tank. I know I can get them to hit 80 degrees.
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Using a tank for an incubator might be safer. My egg laying set up is a nest box in a twenty gal. tank. I have a small blue light over it and it holds pretty steady temperature and humidity. I have it in a draft free area where the temperature is fairly stable.
You can use a cracked or damaged tank. It is good enough and you could make some kind of lid that holds temp and humidity. It could be adjustable. Keep working on it. You will get it right by the time you have eggs.
Your meal worms will start multiplying right away. Remember to give them some carrot or apple peal. That will give them moisture. Is the shoe box card board? I would watch out in case they eat their way out of the box. That could get messy.
Catherine
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IT WORKS!!! I still need to wait and see if it will hold steady but so far it's sitting on 80 degrees. WHOOOOO mini party